If you need one lesson for healthy living it is available now in the form of the WellBeing 101 CD – simple habits for healthy living. You can listen in your car or at home to this comprehensive audio CD that follows an average day of eating and living to show you how to take the healthy options every day. Along the way you will explore the foods to eat and those to avoid as well as finding out all you need to know about exercise, yoga, sex, meditation, stress, sleep and more. Terry Robson hosts the CD with expert advice from Dr Karen Bridgman, Kathryn Elliott, Martha Lourey-Bird, Dr Giselle Cooke, Simon Borg-Olivier and more top-line experts. This CD is the only lesson you need for healthy living and wellbeing. To order WellBeing 101 phone 1300 303 414 or email mailorder@universalmagazines.com.au
How you cook affects how you age
Choosing the correct cooking method can contribute to healthy ageing. It all comes down to substances aptly known as “advanced glycation end products” (AGEs), which increase oxidative stress, reduce insulin sensitivity, increase inflammation and make body organs less flexible and more rigid. We all make AGEs in our bodies but we also consume them, so cutting down on AGEs in your diet will help slow the ageing process. A recent study has also found that AGE formation increases when food is cooked at high temperatures and decreases when water is used in the cooking process, such when boiling, steaming or poaching. For example, AGE concentration is nine times as high in oven-fried chicken as it is in boiled chicken, and hot chips contain 90 times more AGEs than boiled potatoes. Some commercial cereals, which are prepared under high temperatures, have even been found to have more than 100 times the AGE content of oatmeal. Source: The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Women drawn to men with muscles
A new study suggests that muscles in men are like elaborate tail feathers in male peacocks: they attract females looking for a virile mate. Researchers interviewed males about their sexual histories and found that muscular men were twice as likely to have had more than three sex partners as less-built types. They also asked women to look at six standardised silhouettes of men ranging from muscular to slender. Women were more physically attracted to brawny men, especially for a fling, but when it came to finding a long-term partner, they tended to choose a regular man over one with huge biceps. Most women preferred a well-toned man who was more likely to commit rather than a muscle-bound man they perceived as more volatile, aggressive and dominant. The researchers concluded that while muscles make men more sexy to women, they also make women more suspicious about the man’s romantic intentions. Source: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Name that feeling, you'll feel better
Putting feelings into words may help you move on from them, according to a new study. Researchers scanned the brains of people who were shown pictures of faces expressing strong emotions and asked to categorise the feelings using words like “sad” or “angry”. They were also asked to match the face to one of two gender-specific names like "Sally” or “Harry". The findings showed that when people attached a word like “angry” to an angry-looking face, the response in the amygdala portion of the brain that handles fear, panic and other strong emotions decreased. What lights up instead is the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls impulses. So rather than talking about feelings leading to new insights, and that understanding being what transforms you, it may be that simply naming an emotion allows you to move on from it. Source: Psychological Science
Mud eases pain
Mud treatments have been around for centuries but two new studies have shown that mud can ease pain. Traditionally it has been believed that mud provides minerals and removes toxins through the skin. A study from Brazil’s University of Sao Paolo found that mud treatments improved arthritis by reducing inflammation and increasing the activity of the cells that make collagen, so helping to repair damaged joints. In another study, people with fibromyalgia which had not improved with medication received either 12 sessions of hot mud therapy, each followed by a hot bath, over a period of two weeks, or just the baths. The mud was heated to 40-45°C then applied to the entire body and left in place for 15 minutes. The baths lasted 10 minutes in 37-38°C water. Those that had the mud treatments showed improvements on measures of pain, fatigue, general health and physical functioning, while the bath-only group did not. Source: Rheumatology International
Cows fight climate change
Manners aside, getting cows to burp less can help reduce global warming. Using modern plant-breeding methods to find new diets for cows that make them belch less is a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The key is developing new varieties of food that are easier for cattle to digest and provide a proper balance of fibre, protein and sugar. The average dairy cow belches out about 100 to 200 litres of methane every day, making diet changes a key potential factor in reducing this greenhouse gas. The common misperception is that most methane comes from the other end of the cow but it is actually belching that is the big problem. Introducing easier-to-digest legumes that tend to reduce methane emissions is one option. This also requires farmers to balance cows’ legume intake with other food and to develop different species of grass that are also more digestible. Source: Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research
Organic tomatoes the heartier option
Organic tomatoes have significantly higher levels of flavonoids, compared with non-organic tomatoes, according to the results of a 10-year study. Flavonoids are known to lower high blood pressure, thus reducing heart disease and stroke risk. Research has also indicated that flavonoids may protect against cancer and dementia. In this study, the researchers measured the amounts of quercetin and kaempferol, two flavonoids, in organic and non-organic tomatoes. They found that levels of quercetin were 79 per cent higher, and kaempferol 97 per cent higher, in the organic tomatoes than in the non-organic ones. This is probably because of the way in which plants produce flavonoids. When nitrogen levels are not high enough in the soil, plants produce flavonoids as a defence mechanism. If inorganic nitrogen, which is present in everyday fertilisers, is applied to the soil, this over-fertilisation may hinder flavonoid production. Source: Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry
In This Issue:
Natural facelifts
Acupuncture face-lifts address more than just the lines on your face. They can also improve your holistic health and indicate health areas that need to be addressed. Anthony Kingston looks at how acupuncture can be better than botox when it comes to getting you looking your best.
Inner nature
Nature can be your healer, teacher and guide. For some, it can even be a deep and enlivening companion and friend. It is possible to experience nature, and the environment you live and work in, as nurturing and enlivening while also helping to heal and nurture the earth. Paul Perfrement shows how you can use the natural environment to heal your psyche and at the same time help heal the environment itself.
Soul Searching – George Ogilvie
Amid a varied career directing ballet, opera and blockbuster films, George Ogilvie found that the quiet servitude of Siddha Yoga provided him with the energy and drive to live a creative and spiritual life. WellBeing asked him about his life choices and the mix of “big” productions and simple spirituality.
Special Report: Peace of Mind - Dementia
As lifespans increase, dementia and other illnesses that come with advancing age are becoming more common. Matthew Boylan looks at lifestyle choices and natural approaches to reducing your risk of developing dementia.
Introducing Dr. Spiller's new Hydratain™ Emulsion System which takes the concept of natural skin care to new levels of gentleness, effectiveness and results - not just 'natural ingredients mixed into a cream' but formulated in a way that imitates the protective barrier found on young healthy skin. They are gentle on your skin, and ensure it remains beautifully hydrated all day long. Skin friendly actives like vitamins, peptides and skin-identical substances develop their full potential for a healthy, radiant and smooth appearance. Find out more
Evalife® is a mineralised water that contains both magnesium and bicarbonate. This form of magnesium bicarbonate solution is a modern advance on the mineral ingredients found in many natural spring waters in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America. These natural spring waters have been used traditionally for centuries, indeed for thousands of years, as traditional foods and natural medicines. Find out more
“Sweating is the body’s safe and natural way to detoxify and stay healthy". By utilising Sunlight Saunas scientifically tested and proven Solocarbon far infrared technology for deep sweat therapy, you can effectively detoxify the body! Find out more
Optima Aloe Vera Liquid Fibre Liquid Fibre blend provides a great tasting and convenient way to help maintain regularity whilst providing your digestive system with the fibre it need to function properly. Australian Natural Organic Health provides a range of Aloe Vera Body, Oral and Hair Care products as well as Natural Deodorant! Find out more
